Education

passed · Washington · House Mar 2, 2026

HR 4711: Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

This bill is a commemorative resolution that celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a federal law ensuring students with disabilities receive appropriate public education. It does not create new laws or change existing policies but serves to honor the law's impact and encourage public recognition of its contributions. The resolution acknowledges the role of families, educators, and advocates in supporting students with disabilities across Washington state. It expresses the legislature's commitment to maintaining equitable educational practices and inclusive opportunities for all learners.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill commemorates IDEA which ensures students with disabilities receive appropriate public education, supporting educational access and inclusion.90% confidence

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in committee · Washington · House Feb 9, 2026

HB 2727: Creating the educational transit access grant program to reduce the cost of public transportation for community and technical college students.

HB 2727 creates a state-funded grant program to help community and technical college students pay for public transportation. It requires the state transportation department to provide grants to transit agencies that partner with colleges to offer free or reduced transit fares for students enrolled in degree or certificate programs. To qualify, transit agencies must submit proposals detailing program goals, cost-reduction methods, college partnerships, and long-term sustainability plans. The program aims to lower transportation barriers for these students, with pilot projects required to report outcomes to the legislature within six months of completion.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesState-funded grant program for student transit access, increasing public service funding under state budget appropriations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds reduced transit fares for community college students, directly increasing access to higher education through transportation affordability.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationCreates state-funded grant program to reduce public transit costs for students, directly advancing transportation access and affordability through funding public transit partnerships.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Transportation Public Transit

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in committee · Washington · House Feb 3, 2026

HB 2717: Ensuring equal opportunities for each highly capable student.

HB 2717 amends Washington state's school funding formula to standardize how basic education funds are distributed to school districts. It establishes "prototypical" schools (e.g., 600 students for high schools) to calculate minimum funding needs, setting specific class size targets (like 17 students per teacher in K-3) and allocating funds for staff like counselors and nurses. The bill requires transparency by mandating public reporting of per-pupil funding for all programs, including a link on school district websites. It does not directly address "highly capable students" as its title suggests; instead, it focuses on general education funding mechanics and reporting. The bill is currently in the Appropriations committee after its first reading.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesStandardizes school funding allocation and mandates transparency, advancing public education budget management per fiscal responsibility indicators.92% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAmends school funding formula to standardize distribution, set class size targets, and allocate funds for counselors/nurses, advancing equitable resource access and student support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget School Funding Teachers

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in committee · Washington · House Feb 24, 2026

HB 2739: Sustaining life-saving and prosperity-building scientific research in Washington by establishing the Washington institute for scientific advancement.

HB 2739 establishes the Washington Institute for Scientific Advancement to offset federal funding cuts threatening research in Washington. It authorizes $6 billion in state bonds to fund critical scientific research at public universities and institutions, directly affecting fields like cancer treatment, veterinary medicine, climate science, and semiconductor technology. The bill aims to sustain ongoing projects jeopardized by federal grant reductions, including Washington State University's veterinary disease lab and University of Washington's $2.6 billion annual economic contribution. Proceeds will be allocated over three biennia to maintain research programs and prevent loss of scientific talent and economic impact.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes $6B in state bonds for scientific research funding at public institutions, directly increasing public spending on essential programs per bill summary.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds $6B for university research at public institutions, directly supporting higher education infrastructure and research initiatives per bill summary.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill explicitly funds climate science research, a core environmental field, to sustain projects threatened by federal cuts, directly advancing climate change research and environmental protection.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds cancer treatment and veterinary medicine research, directly supporting healthcare advancements through scientific research funding.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill explicitly funds semiconductor technology research with $6B state bonds, directly advancing technology through research investment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Washington · House Feb 3, 2026

HB 2719: Establishing empowerED scholarships for foster care students using educational savings accounts.

HB 2719 creates the empowerED scholarship program, providing education savings accounts for foster care students in Washington state (ages 5-21) who are in care or have aged out. The program allows foster parents, caregivers, or guardians to use state-funded accounts - managed via a state-administered debit card - to cover qualified education expenses at private schools, home-based instruction, or other approved services. It explicitly permits religious private schools to participate, aligning with recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings on education funding. The bill aims to address educational instability faced by foster care students by ensuring funding follows the student across placements, with strict oversight to prevent misuse of funds.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state funds for foster care education scholarships, increasing budgetary spending on essential student services per state appropriations.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates state-funded education savings accounts for foster youth, expanding access to private/home schooling options beyond public schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice Student Financial Aid

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in committee · Washington · House Feb 4, 2026

HB 2724: Establishing a tax on millionaires.

HB 2724 proposes a new tax on Washington residents with annual adjusted gross income of $1 million or more, affecting approximately the top 0.5% of households. The tax revenue would be deposited into the state general fund to support K-12 education, health care, higher education, human services, and the working families' tax credit. Key provisions include exempting sales of family-owned small businesses and real property from the tax, aligning the state definition of taxable income with federal rules (modified for state purposes), and reducing other taxes like sales tax on essential items. The bill aims to make the state tax system less regressive by shifting more burden to high earners while maintaining current tax rates for lower-income residents.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImposes tax on top 0.5% to fund K-12, health care, and education programs via state general fund.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill directs millionaire tax revenue to fund K-12 education and higher education, explicitly increasing education funding per summary.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill allocates tax revenue to fund healthcare services as part of state general fund priorities95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Income Tax Sales Tax K-12 Education

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passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 6351: Increasing fiscal resources for students and children by providing targeted sales tax exemptions for schools and certain before-and-after school care programs and arts and cultural classes.

SB 6351 would exempt specific educational and childcare services from Washington state sales tax. It targets schools, before-and-after school care programs, and arts/cultural classes for children and students. The bill amends tax law to remove sales tax on purchases for these services, directly increasing funding available to qualifying programs. This policy change provides immediate fiscal relief to schools and childcare providers by reducing their operational costs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts schools and childcare services from sales tax, reducing operational costs and increasing funding availability for public education programs.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExempts schools, childcare, and arts programs from sales tax, directly increasing fiscal resources for educational services by reducing operational costs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax Early Childhood

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in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 4, 2026

SB 6349: Concerning tax exemptions for nonprofit organizations that manage interscholastic programs for public and private schools.

This bill expands tax exemptions for nonprofits managing school sports programs in Washington. It clarifies that income from activities like ticket sales, sponsorships, and school membership fees counts as tax-exempt "fund-raising" for these organizations. The exemption applies specifically to nonprofits serving both public and private schools, ensuring all revenue from these activities remains tax-free. This change modifies Washington's tax code to explicitly include these program-related funds under existing exemption rules.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill expands tax exemptions for nonprofits managing school programs, explicitly clarifying tax-exempt status for revenue like ticket sales and sponsorships, providing tax relief.92% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands tax exemptions for nonprofits managing school sports programs, preserving revenue from ticket sales/sponsorships for educational activities without tax burden, strengthening program funding.85% confidence

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signed · Washington · Senate Mar 30, 2026

SB 6346: Establishing a tax on millionaires.

SB 6346 would impose a new tax on Washington households with annual income of $1 million or more, affecting approximately the top 0.5% of earners. Revenue generated would fund K-12 education, health care, higher education, and human services programs. The tax excludes income from selling family-owned businesses and real estate, while also including reductions to sales taxes on essentials like personal care products and business taxes through credits. This policy aims to shift tax burden toward high earners to support public services, as the bill states Washington’s current system is the second most regressive in the nation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImposes new tax on top earners to fund education/healthcare, shifting burden upward and directly allocating revenue to public services per support indicators.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly allocates tax revenue to fund K-12 education and higher education programs.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly allocates tax revenue to fund healthcare programs, directly increasing healthcare funding per summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Sales Tax K-12 Education

in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 5907: Expanding access to the early childhood education and assistance program for military families.

SB 5907 expands Washington's early childhood education program to include military-connected families who previously didn't qualify. It creates new eligibility for children in households with a military parent (active duty, reserve, or National Guard member stationed or residing in WA) whose family income is above 50% but below the Working Connections Child Care income limit, adjusted for family size. The bill adds military-specific factors like deployment status or single parenthood to the program's prioritization system for available slots. This change does not count these children as part of the state's standard entitlement program and expires August 1, 2030.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly expands early childhood education access for military families by adding new eligibility criteria, directly advancing educational access under the topic description.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood

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